PYEONGCHANG, South Korea >> Winners at the Pyeongchang Olympics don’t immediately receive their medals after an event. First, they get Soohorang, the Winter Games mascot. The cute little stuffed tiger has become ubiquitous during Pyeongchang’s joyous moments.

The white tiger is considered South Korea’s guardian animal. “Sooho” means “protection” in Korean while “rang” is part of the word for “tiger” and the last Korean letter in “Jeongseon Arirang,” which is a popular Korean folk song.

Olympic medalists also receive a wooden gift depicting the mountain setting of Pyeongchang, with “Pyeongchang 2018” spelled out in the Korean alphabet.

Hours — and in some cases an entire day — later, they get the actual medals.